Shalimar Luis admits that she probably always had artistic talents, although she doesn’t know when and how it all began.
“My mother always tells me that I was fascinated and playing with crayons when I was a baby, but I don’t remember that,” said Luis, now a 17-year-old senior at North Bergen High School. “When I got old enough, I just liked to draw.”
And when it came time to sign up for elective courses at North Bergen High, the first place she looked was in direction of the art department.
“Art was the first class that I put on my schedule,” Luis said.
North Bergen High School art teacher Rosemarie LeRose knew right away that Luis was a talented artist.
“She’s a natural,” LeRose said. “She just takes any idea, any medium, and just goes with it. She takes the bull by the horns and does whatever she wants, and I really like that about her. Shalimar had talent from the start, but it has developed to the professional level.”
LeRose was so moved by Luis’ development as an artist that she encouraged Luis to enter art shows and contests. Luis’ work was recently displayed in an art show at the Mill Creek Art Show in Secaucus, where she earned the Best in Show award for her work.
LeRose was also impressed with one of Luis’ recent works that she entered it in a contest sponsored by Rep. Steve Rothman, the Democratic Congressman whose 9th Congressional District includes North Bergen.
The annual Congressional Art Competition featured artworks from more than 75 high school students throughout the Ninth Congressional District. A panel of respected judges viewed the respective paintings and drawings and decided that Luis’ painting of the lake inside North Hudson Braddock Park during fall was good enough for second place in the competition.
As part of her award, Luis’ painting will be displayed in the United States Capitol Building in Washington, as well as being featured at Rothman’s Congressional offices in Hackensack for the next year.
“I wasn’t expecting much of it,” Luis said. “Ms. LeRose just entered it for me. Until I got the call that I finished second, I didn’t even realize. It’s a great honor and it’s very exciting. It’s good that people recognize your hard work.”
Luis said that she just happened to be walking through North Hudson Braddock Park and remembered the image of the lake.
“It was beautiful, the way the trees reflected off the water,” said Luis, who is the president of the North Bergen Art Club. “It gave me the idea to do the painting.”
Luis said that she completed the image through memory. She did not do the sketching or drawing there and did not use photo imagery like some artists do. Considering that she created the entire painting from her memory makes the finished product even more remarkable.
Needless to say, Rothman was very impressed with all the entries he received. The eventual winner was NooRhee Kim of the Bergen County Academy.
“There are a lot of artistically gifted students in my Congressional district, and this competition was an opportunity for all of them to showcase their talents,” Rothman said. “I commend all of these young artists for taking the time to create these pieces, which are expressions of themselves, and displaying them in this competition.”
Each member of the U.S. Congress can hold a Congressional Art Competition. The contest showcases paintings, drawings, collages and prints, including those designed by computer graphics.
While Luis’ painting was done by hand, her future may lie with computer graphics. She plans to attend the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan in the fall with the intention of becoming a graphic artist.
“I want to make it a career,” Luis said.
“She’s just a natural with the computer as well,” LeRose said. “Every free minute she has, she’s working on the art computers.”
Rothman was happy to be able to put the spotlight on the students of his constituency.
“Every day I am in Washington and I walk over to the Capitol Building, I see the high school students’ artwork from across the country displayed on the wall,” Rothman said. “It is remarkable to see artwork from New Jersey to Hawaii and virtually every other state in between showcased in the same place. It serves as a reminder that art is a binding passion and expression of the human spirit that connects us all, no matter where they are from.”
LeRose said that she was so proud of Luis’ accomplishments.
“I honestly don’t want her to graduate,” LeRose said. “When you have someone for four years, they become a part of your life. I’ve been fortunate enough to let Shalimar produce on her own, but it’s going to be hard to let her go.”
Luis was not the only North Bergen student to receive recognition in Rothman’s art contest. Fellow senior Jessica Panameno won honorable mention for her painting of an intricate bee hive.
“I’ve always liked bees, so I decided to take on different aspects of the bee hive,” Panameno said. “I’m really surprised that it earned the award. I didn’t expect anything.”
Luis said that her award-winning painting will just inspire her to create more.
“It definitely is a boost of confidence,” Luis said. “I like to draw all different kinds of things, so this will definitely spur me on to create more.”